Students prepare for knitted New Year’s giveaway

Students in Pennsylvania are preparing for a knitted New Year’s giveaway to help local people in need.

A group of Millersville University students have been working with 70-year-old Lois Kelso to knit and crochet hats and scarves.

Lancaster Online reports that Ms Kelso’s group Yarn Friends Therapeutic was started six years ago, meeting in members’ homes to share tales and knit up exciting new projects.

After impressing with a crocheted dragon costume at the Millersville Community Parade, the original group was approached by student Clark Davis, who asked to join the cause.

Mr Davis has since fallen in love with knitting and crocheting and is teaching other students before, after and even during some of his classes.

Hats and scarves have proved to be especially popular with the younger crafters, who have now chosen to join the group each week in a local café to help develop each other’s skills while interacting socially.

The exact number of knitted items is unknown, but Ms Kelso hopes that they will make a brilliant present to the area’s refugee children and homeless community.

Rather than being associated with Christmas, the group has chosen to donate the hats and scarves on New Year’s Day, an event marked by a whole host of different cultures and nationalities.

This is especially important to Ms Kelso, as she understands how difficult it can be to adjust to life in America, as her parents were originally from Scotland

However, she still remains true to her roots by knitting traditional Scottish tams, with toories (pom poms) on the top.

These hats were given to men going into battle from their mothers, grandmothers or sweethearts and are largely made from donations of left over balls of yarn given to the group.

Even the smallest amount of wool is perfect for making a tiny pom pom out of!